Interview: The Hives (S)

Students.ch: Hello Chris, hello Pelle, how are you???
Chris: Very tired. We played a fantastic concert yesterday…aahh where was it?
Pelle: Munich! It was probably the best concert of the tour.

Why this?
Pelle: It was really amazing. Kinds gone crazy. There was such a heat in the venue. We have enjoyed ourselves very much.
Chris: And after the concert we had a few beers, so this is the reason why we are a bit tired. And then today, we waited for a long time at the frontier. There is always some kind of trouble at the Swiss boarder.
Pelle: And beside from this, we already had a busy touring year. We tour a lot. We`ve been doing gigs in Mexico, USA and Europe in the first three months of the year.

Any other plans for the rest of the year, beside touring USA in May again and doing some festivals in the summer?
Pelle: Yes. We will return to the USA for a third time this year and do some gigs.

Are you trying to conquer America like many other European bands have tried before?
Pelle: I think we`ve already conquered America some years ago. We are quite big over there.
Chris: The USA is so large, that you can`t do it in three weeks like you could do Europe.

And after the tour through the USA? You`ve said in an interview last year that your next record is not out until 2010/11.
Pelle: I think someone just said this. Maybe it was just to put away the pressure from us. Not that we have the pressure of the record company as we have a fantastic contract. It`s more the pressure of the fans. They want all the time something new.
Chris: Yes, we are sure that the record will be out earlier. But we`re looking forward to relax for a long time. Next year we just want to do a few festival gigs in Australia and Japan. I`m just guessing, but we gonna might do the Summersonic festival.

So, just cashing in next year with a few festival appearances?
No comment.

Okay, so what about other Swedish bands? Can I drop some names and you could give me some thoughts to them? Mando Diao
Pelle: They are very big in Europe. They are alright. Nothing special.
Chris: We know them, but they`re not close friends. We know every band in Sweden. I`m not terrible excited about Mando Diao, but they are alright.

Roxette
Chris: Hahaha, long time ago man.
Pelle: We never were into them. We`ve never listened to them as we made our own music. Punk Rock!

Kent
Pelle: They are really cool. Good music.
Chris: It`s very sad `cos they`re just known in Sweden.
Pelle: … and Norway and a little bit in Finland too.

What about the Euro08? Are you interested in it?
Pelle: I don`t pay attention to football.
Chris: I will probably watch some of the games. But I`m not really into it.
Pellle: If somebody else is hitting a ball with his foot in a net and then your supposed to be happy about that ... I don`t know …

Ok, last question. What to expect from tonight?
Chris: We`re getting better every concert. And this after 15 years! But yesterday it was so great that I can`t get better tonight.
Pelle: After the concert yesterday I`m in the mood to rock the club tonight again even I`m feeling a bit tired. But my expectations after the last night are so high that it`s gonna be hard that the audience tonight can prove them right.